 A bomb planted in the tavern exploded on January 24, 1975, killing four people and injuring more than 50 others. The Puerto Rican clandestine paramilitary organization "Fuerzas Armadas de Liberaci&oacute;n Nacional Puertorrique&ntilde;a" (Armed Forces of Puerto Rican National Liberation, or FALN), which had executed other bomb incidents in New York in the 1970s, claimed responsibility. No one had been prosecuted for the bombing as of April 17, 2013. 

 A truck, parked outside the tavern, was wrecked and windows and heavy plate-glass doors of the New York Telephone Co. office, across Broad St., were shattered.  

Fraunces Tavern

Bombing at Fraunces Tavern

What did “the pursuit of happiness” mean to our nation’s founders and how did that famous phrase become the foundation of our democracy?The Declaration of Independence identifies “the pursuit of happiness” as one of our unalienable rights, along with life and liberty. In his new book, National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen profiles six of the most influential founders—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton—to show what pursuing happiness meant in their lives.In this lecture Rosen not only elucidates the meaning of the Declaration’s famous phrase, but also takes us on a revelatory journey into the minds of the Founders, providing a deep, rich and fresh understanding of the foundation of our democracy.

In this lecture, Tyson Reeder traces early America's rocky beginnings, when foreign interference and political conflict threatened to undermine its aspirations and ideals, even its very existence. Spanning the period from the Revolution to the War of 1812, and focusing particularly on the career of James Madison, it reveals a nation adjusting to rancorous partisan politics, aggravated by the untested and imperfect new tools of governance and the growing power of media.*The event was co-sponsored by the Society of the Second War with Great Britain in the State of New York and The State of New York Society, United States Daughters of 1812.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, August 12, 2024.

The Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, Inc. celebrated the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, featuring a lecture on the formation and implementation of the United States Constitution by Tom Hand, author of An American Triumph: America’s Founding Era through the Lives of Ben Franklin, George Washington, and John Adams, an honorable mention for the 2024 Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award. Hand is also the creator of the website Americana Corner that shares informative stories of the momentous events, significant documents and influential leaders that helped create and shape our country.* This lecture was recorded on Monday, September 16, 2024.

Perhaps no single day in US history was as threatening to the survival of the nation as August 24, 1814, when British forces captured Washington. This unique moment might have significantly altered the nation's path forward, but the event and the reasons why it happened are often forgotten. In this lecture, Dr. Robert Watson explores the British campaign and American missteps that led to the fall of the capital city, but also tells the redeeming stories of the courageous young clerks and the bold first lady who risked their lives to save priceless documents from the flames, including the Constitution. Join Dr. Watson for the shocking, behind-the-scenes story of the British attack on Washington and the rebuilding of the capital and nation.This event was co-sponsored by the Society of the Second War with Great Britain in the State of New York and The State of New York Society, United States Daughters of 1812.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, July 8, 2024.

We don't always consider the powerful impact that the War of Independence had on the physical landscape of 18th century America – much less how those impacts might still be seen and felt today. Join Professor David C. Hsiung for fascinating insights into the lasting legacies of the Revolution on the natural world, including deforestation at Valley Forge, raids that seized animals but also produced some surprisingly "positive" effects, and lead musket balls left on battlefields that may only now be poisoning the land.This event was a collaboration with the Paul Revere House.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, July 15, 2024.

Peter C. Hein, &nbsp;Past President, Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, speaking at ‘It Happened Here - 1700’s Symposium: The Path to Liberty’ on July 4, 2025

Bombing at Fraunces Tavern

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